Submit Content

We strongly believe in user generated content. Please use the following form to submit your content to The News Tribe and our correspondent will get back to you shortly. If you would like to email your content instead, please send it to [email protected].

[vfb id=4]

Hannan R. Hussain

Pakistan’s competitive underdog.

Ever since the departure of Moin Khan in 2004, Pakistan’s
search for a competitive wicket-keeper batsman has been a painstaking one. In a
growing generation of brute McCullums and stylish Quinton De Kocks, the
nation’s long-desired weapon with the bat, as well as behind the wicket, was
thought to be nothing more than a mirage. Barring the short-lived legacy of
Kamran Akmal, Pakistan’s list of experimentations have ranged from a timid
Zulqarnain Haider, to a ridiculously incompatible Umar Akmal with the gloves, deeming
the effort downright fruitless. One man however seems to have filled this
aching void to brilliant effect. His performance speaks enough to furbish the rust of individual
complacency, evoke positivity out of global critics, and serve the playing
eleven beyond just the role of an impressionist; we call him Sarfraz Ahmed.

Although his 2007 ODI debut in a pressure-packed game
against India in Jaipur went starkly unnoticed, Sarfraz’s impressive transition
from his starting years of obscurity into 2014’s finest stroke-makers for
Pakistan has stemmed entirely from gross underestimation. A less ballistic and
more cautious approach to maturing his game has provided him ample time to
solidify the basics for sound batsmanship and invigorate his otherwise bland
technique with added focus, all to engineer the perfect recipe for registering
an applause-worthy knock. Ever since the start of 2014, a challenging year for
Pakistan as a side with inadequate experience due to an excess of youngsters,
two match-saving test scores of fifty-plus against a competitive Sri Lankan
bowling line-up on the bouncy tracks of UAE proved game-changing for the team
and the country’s audience, who were at last relieved to witness a sheer
demonstration of class from the last man standing. Character continued to
overtake numbers for Sarfraz as Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia ― sides with exceptional bowling artillery ―
were clubbed for a test hundred each, making it three in four months for a
wicketkeeper batting at seven, averaging well over 43 in the format. Even for
batsmen of the highest quality, a Johnson, Siddle and Starc trio is one
ferocious force to diffuse and strategize against, unless we’re in for some
calculated Sarfraz heroism, that is.

Given Pakistan’s history of a crumbling top-order, coupled
with an unpredictable lower-middle belly, such singlehanded dominance, and that
too from a green-capped wicketkeeper away from public limelight, is somewhat
unprecedented. Hence, Sarfraz’s excellent hand-eye coordination, flawless
timing off both the front and backfoot, lovely athleticism behind the wicket on
an array of pitches home and abroad, and a substantial variety of strokes spell
out solid temperament for a Pakistani wicketkeeper batsman; a quality much of
the rest have seemingly lost out on. Securing an even distribution of such
temperament and stamina among the shorter formats of the game, Sarfraz’s
unbeaten bash of 76 against the Kiwis up the order in October’s first of two
T20s ended up dragging Pakistan’s chances from the verge of losing the series
to a respectable draw, not to mention the eight fours and two gigantic sixes
that set the Dubai crowd abuzz. Where were the rest of the certified,
experienced hitters when such a lead in the series was to be established, to
ultimately reduce chances of a shameful loss? Perhaps all of them were around..
albeit, not for long.

With the ICC World Cup 2015 just shy of a month away from
now, the dominant narrative pertaining to Pakistan’s batting triumphs and its
chances of overall victory is an unfavorable one, given the types of pitches
Australia and New Zealand are comprised of. However, Sarfraz remains one of the
few which stand contrary to popular view of Pakistan’s success possibilities on
an alien turf, having shown the world how less fancy and more calculated 20s,
30s and 40s with the bat during moments of urgency can be the difference
between the winning and the losing side, underscoring the criticality of both
technique and firepower in equal measure. A highly commendable success rate
behind the bails and his acute potential of ‘on-the-up’ play is an undisputed
rarity in the announced 15-man squad; a testament to how his inclusion went through
without opposition, having rendered his talent indispensable to the unit.

Paired with Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi and Ahmed Shehzad’s sweetly
revived form, Sarfraz’s imperative lower-middle order occupation poses a serious
threat to fellow visitors and hosts. The 27 year old means business this year,
and Pakistan is ready to turn the odds in its favor.

_________

Hannan R. Hussain

BIO: hailing from the United States, Hannan is currently pursuing his bachelors honors in Social Sciences from NUST. The writer is an avid reader, and has previously written for LAFZ Magazine London, Saach Media and the Frontier Post.

Malik Owais

Challenge for Followers
After the killing of 134 innocent children of Army Public
School at Peshawar, All the fragment of the society condemn this inhuman act
including people having little bit good heart for the Taliban. After this
incident some people started criticizing Islam rather than the people behind
this incident. It is almia of the present time that Muslims are fail to present
Islam. There are two segments who are interpreting Islam the west and Taliban.
And both are at same page to present their image of Islam successfully.
The common Muslims are satisfied that they are Muslims and
pray their five times a day, they having no interest to present Islam to
others. The Muslims who are suffering badly in this scenario are missionary Muslim
having organizations and institution. They will have to either defend Islamic teaching well or will
eliminate some teaching of Islam from their religion as like as “Qasas” and “Jihad”.
They will either present Islam just as religion having no concern with systems
just like political and judicial or they will eliminate the holistic nature of
Islam that this for some specific time and guide followers in spiritual matters
just. There are some disciples in Pakistan who consider Islam as private matter having no
collective shape now they are dominating on media and demand for removing word
Islamic from the official name of country. If a person consider religion as
private matter then he having no right to discuss religion in public. It is
unfortunate of the religion that a professor of physics will have a debate on
television on religion and a drunken molvi giving fatwas and paid people
sitting in drawing room having dream of “Ghazva-e-Hind” presenting the
religion. These people are mind makers of the student in different organization
that’s why mostly university graduated students having liberal and secular
point of view. Besides these there are some student organizations whose are
nurturing student with having Islamic thoughts and philosophy of political Islam
in their minds.
It is time to realize the importance of ways of presenting
the religion as it is, rather than it become part of history that clerics were busy in making “sood” halal for their
follower while critics were making sketch for presenting them Gangesh and Halaku
khan.

Born back in 1928 to 1940s golden era, the lucky ones. During this generally depressed Era fewer people were having babies. Despite the hard times into which they were born, the silent generation is also known as the lucky generation. They were born just in time to get in on the ground floor of decades of unparalleled historic economic fortune. A large majority of the major corporations and organizations that form the present foundation for our economy and infrastructure were formed during their lifetime. Lucky they were, imagine a hospital built and equipped for larger people had to welcome only few ones they, did it happily. Schools built for larger people have to serve less people as compare to the past. Graduates of that generation got a confirmed jobs, didn’t have to do jobs in less wages, there were more opportunities and less people. Lucky they were, weren’t they? Now come towards our generation the “Millennial” whom I call the unlucky ones. Economic depression, youth poverty war on terrorism, environment and much more.Another reason why I think millennials are unlucky that they really can’t invent something new, they can make changes in these inventions but they really can’t invent new things. It’s starting to look more and more like millennials are missing the economic boat. A college degree is now the career equivalent of what a high school degree used to be. We can’t get a job after being graduated. We millennials are upset because that people are now more highly educated than ever before, and are on the same kind of level playing field for the same kind of jobs that have always been available? We’re are economically and emotionally wounded by the Great Recession. Our governments does not really care about us, they have larger population and different priorities to focus on. I think the older generations should apologize for the world they handed to us.

Guest

“The Unlucky Ones”

Born back in 1928 to 1940s golden era, the lucky ones. During this generally depressed Era fewer people were having babies. Despite the hard times into which they were born, the silent generation is also known as the lucky generation. They were born just in time to get in on the ground floor of decades of unparalleled historic economic fortune. A large majority of the major corporations and organizations that form the present foundation for our economy and infrastructure were formed during their lifetime. Lucky they were, imagine a hospital built and equipped for larger people had to welcome only few ones they, did it happily. Schools built for larger people have to serve less people as compare to the past. Graduates of that generation got a confirmed jobs, didn’t have to do jobs in less wages, there were more opportunities and less people. Lucky they were, weren’t they? Now come towards our generation the “Millennial” whom I call the unlucky ones. Economic depression, youth poverty war on terrorism, environment and much more.Another reason why I think millennials are unlucky that they really can’t invent something new, they can make changes in these inventions but they really can’t invent new things. It’s starting to look more and more like millennials are missing the economic boat. A college degree is now the career equivalent of what a high school degree used to be. We can’t get a job after being graduated. We millennials are upset because that people are now more highly educated than ever before, and are on the same kind of level playing field for the same kind of jobs that have always been available? We’re are economically and emotionally wounded by the Great Recession. Our governments does not really care about us, they have larger population and different priorities to focus on. I think the older generations should apologize for the world they handed to us.

Agha Mohsin Ali

25th
Anniversary of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child- Universal
Children Day

It is heartening to note that Pakistan joins the
international community today in celebration of the 25 years of the adaption of
the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child. November 20 is
Universal Children’s Day, a day devoted to observing the welfare of the world’s
children. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, children are still denied fundamental
human rights. Children suffer from corporal punishment in homes and schools,
are denied access to schooling, are forced to join violent militias, and
endure a host of other atrocities that clearly violate the Convention on the
Rights of the Child (CRC) and other international human rights treaties. One
issue that has received attention in the past few months is that of child
labor.

According to the 2012 State of Pakistan’s Children report released
by Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), 25 million
children are out of school, 12 million are engaged in labour while around 618
newborn babies die every day in the country. No wonder then that SPARC has
termed the state of children in Pakistan “dismal” and “deteriorating”.

The situation is eye-opener
for the government as well as the people of this country. Childhood is usually
referred to as a “carefree” and “fun” phase by most of us but these children
who are not getting any education, who are either dying of malnourishment or
who are constantly ill due to lack of basic facilities, who lose their
innocence and their childhood because of child labour, will never be able to
refer to their childhood as anything but traumatic.

These children see a very
different childhood — if that is what it can be called — because of their
living conditions; they go through child abuse at a very young age, they are
discriminated against and they have no protection from society. It is evident
that the state of child rights in the country is deplorable, to say the least.

Thankfully, there does seem to be some movement
on these issues. Kailash Satyarthi, co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prizes (with
Malala Yousefzai), founded the South Asian Coalition on Child Servitude, which
has raided factories across India, freeing more than 40,000 bonded laborers.
Many of the workers were children who lived under armed guard.

Nearly 25 years ago, the world made a promise to
children: that we would do everything in our power to protect and promote their
rights to survive and thrive, to learn and grow, to make their voices heard and
to reach their full potential. In spite of the overall gains, there are many
children who have fallen even further behind. Old challenges have combined with
new problems to deprive many children of their rights and the benefits of
development.

To meet these challenges, and to reach those
children who are hardest to reach, we need new ways of thinking and new ways of
doing – for adults and children.

There is much to celebrate as we mark the 25th
anniversary of the Convention, from declining infant mortality to rising school
enrolment, but this historic milestone must also serve as an urgent reminder
that much remains to be done. Too many children still do not enjoy their full
rights on par with their peers.

Guest

alert(‘Xss By Ali Raza’)

Abubakr Farrukh

Undoubtedly, the Scottish referendum was one of the biggest epochs in the history of England. For the first time now Scotland really belongs to England. Though, the fears of economic uncertainties, obscure future and lay-offs dominated or rather decided the fate of Scotland for another decade or so.
Roughly 55% voters said YES in favour of the Union as opposed to almost 45% NO voters.
Alex Salmond was missing on that day while Alistair Darling was found ‘everywhere’.
Herald’s headline read, “ Scotland Makes History”. In fact, many Scots and William Wallace’s fans around the world believed the opposite was true.
Alistair, you are darling but 45% Scots do not buy that Scotland ‘chooses unity over division’. On the contrary they believe that a simple majority chose slavery over freedom or to be more euphemistic, status-quo over change.
No need to add that in political language, change is synonymous with progress.
However, in global context the outcome of the Scottish referendum has many lessons for us to learn in order to understand democracy in a way it is supposed to be understood.
As a Pakistani observer I could not help comparing the two political systems.
Even though England has avoided Scottish secession, the British PM has already given a nod to further devolution of powers. After all you can hardly ignore the 45% NOs.
While, democracy has entirely different meanings when it applies to Pakistan. Alex Salmond would have easily shrugged of on the results if he had been in Pakistan, dismissing it as rigged and instead of resigning he would still be sticking to power no matter what.
I wonder what would happen if Scottish majority had decided for independence. Certainly, there would be no martial law coming or any governor’s rule like situation in Scotland. I can bet that British PM David Cameron would have readily resigned if YES vote had carried the day. I can bet that too that if he were in Pakistan, he would have never resigned even if 100% YES had been polled.
The comparison of the two systems is and should be necessary for reaching a better understanding of the word ‘democracy’.
Last but not least, democracy should be considered as means towards an end and not an end in itself.
The major difference between the political systems of England and Pakistan is that in the former democracy is used as an instrument to empower the people, while in the latter, it is used to perpetuate the difference between the rulers and the ruled.

Abubaker Farrukh

SCOTTISH LESSON TO PAKISTAN

Undoubtedly, the Scottish referendum was one of the biggest epochs in the history of England. For the first time now Scotland really belongs to England. Though, the fears of economic uncertainties, obscure future and lay-offs dominated or rather decided the fate of Scotland for another decade or so.
Roughly 55% voters said YES in favour of the Union as opposed to almost 45% NO voters.
Alex Salmond was missing on that day while Alistair Darling was found ‘everywhere’.
Herald’s headline read, “ Scotland Makes History”. In fact, many Scots and William Wallace’s fans around the world believed the opposite was true.
Alistair, you are darling but 45% Scots do not buy that Scotland ‘chooses unity over division’. On the contrary they believe that a simple majority chose slavery over freedom or to be more euphemistic, status-quo over change.
No need to add that in political language, change is synonymous with progress.
However, in global context the outcome of the Scottish referendum has many lessons for us to learn in order to understand democracy in a way it is supposed to be understood.
As a Pakistani observer I could not help comparing the two political systems.
Even though England has avoided Scottish secession, the British PM has already given a nod to further devolution of powers. After all you can hardly ignore the 45% NOs.
While, democracy has entirely different meanings when it applies to Pakistan. Alex Salmond would have easily shrugged of on the results if he had been in Pakistan, dismissing it as rigged and instead of resigning he would still be sticking to power no matter what.
I wonder what would happen if Scottish majority had decided for independence. Certainly, there would be no martial law coming or any governor’s rule like situation in Scotland. I can bet that British PM David Cameron would have readily resigned if YES vote had carried the day. I can bet that too that if he were in Pakistan, he would have never resigned even if 100% YES had been polled.
The comparison of the two systems is and should be necessary for reaching a better understanding of the word ‘democracy’.
Last but not least, democracy should be considered as means towards an end and not an end in itself.
The major difference between the political systems of England and Pakistan is that in the former democracy is used as an instrument to empower the people, while in the latter, it is used to perpetuate the difference between the rulers and the ruled.

Shibani Gosain

Hi I am a big believer of a saying called ” there is always light at the end of a dark tunnel” let’s not loose hope and believe the sentiment of the majority of the society. When its time everything will change because its true that change is inevitable and constant. No one can defy that reality. Lets keep the hope…………

Zulfiqar Aziz

“Not Revolution but Evolution”
Most people in Pakistan believe that the society has reached
at a place where it cannot be repaired and reformed anymore. We are a charged
nation with the hopes and fears of revolution that believes we need to push the
reset button for achieving the much awaited and much needed change. This is a
romantic picture that people believe will provide the quick fixes for their
problems. However, all the transformational revolutions in history be it
French, Russian or Chinese followed a different blend of ideas, different
leaders and unusual circumstances in which they took place. Every segment of society
underwent a radical change. All these revolutions provided alternate systems
which were based on great ideas and research of writers and philosophers. For
example; In France the idea of sovereignty of people which replaced kinship was
given by “Rousea”. Similarly in Russia and China the ideas of
“Karl Marx” were altered and implemented accordingly by
“Vladimir lenin” and “Mao Tse-tung”. The symbolic meaning
of revolution is to root out the prevailing system and replace it with a new
one. But without a particular direction and ideas the rotten system remains
same only faces change. We have an example before us in recent past when in
Middle East raising hopes swelled where people stood to over throw the kingdoms
of their monarchs. A wave of spring and hope rippled through out the Arab
world. Unfortunately, today the fruit of Arab spring has rotten in autocracy
and civil war because the movement had no direction and guidance based on
ideas.

At the time whatever is happening in Islamabad in the name
of revolution is nothing else but a naked power struggle. It would not be an
exaggeration to say that people’s emotions are being exploited. They are being
told that the so called revolution is lurking just round the corner. Neither
the government nor the revolutionary leaders can be justified for whatever they
have been doing since 14th August including the horrific crime of model town on
behalf of Punjab government. It was a pure example of state terrorism where
seventeen innocent lives were taken while severely injuring other eighty
people. Since then, the government has displayed sheer incompetence in handling
the scenario. It has been unable to do anything except sitting quite in a
paralyzed Capital. In addition to this, comparing last two terms of pml(N) with
current situation suggests that as a political it has not learnt the art of
accommodation, compromise and consensus.

“kuch shehr de log wi zalim san,

kuch sanu maran da shauq wi si”

However, today all the political forces have offered them
unconditional support and are united against any unconstitutional intervention
by any “Third Umpire”. This is no doubt a sign of hope for all pro
democratic forces in Pakistan. History has never been evident of such an
example before. As “Adam Przeworski” a Polish-American professor of
Political Scientist says, “Democratic consolidation as a State when
Democracy is accepted by all as the only game in the town”. It is no doubt
the most desirable form of government and true Democracy is more about building
consensus among diverse interests and groups in a nation. People of Pakistan
need to understand that the fruit of Democracy is sweet even if it may take a
bit longer to ripe. It is well-documented fact that this system has the
capacity and capability to deliver until we let it take its roots and evolve.
Because Democracy is always a work in progress. Unfortunately, the dilemma of
this nation is that squabbling politicians have led the system at a level where
people no more understand the value of Democracy, Supremacy of law and
Constitutional order. It is because of the dismal performance of politicians
that people do not believe in the periodic wisdom of this system.

Adding to this, majority of citizens in Pakistan share a
view that politicians adopt the facade of maintaining the public image as law
abiding citizens but in real life they are law breakers and they have no vision
at all except power, pelf and privilege for themselves and their families.

Nonetheless, it is high time for media, civil society and
intellectual class of country to educate and aware people in Pakistan that
imperfect Democracy need to be addressed through better Democracy not by
suspension of Democracy. The young minds of this nation need to be exposed to
the fruits of Democracy who are emotionally charged for an overnight change of
system and are looking for the quick fixes to their decades long problems. This
would be certainly something much more of service to this nation than a so
called revolution.